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Print this pageGrading of recommendations
Each of the recommendations is graded according to the level of evidence available to support the recommendation (see Table below). The recommendations are rated according to the guidance produced by the former US Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR, 1993), now renamed the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
| Grade | Recommendation |
| A | Based on the criterion of at least one randomized, controlled clinical trial as part of the body of literature of overall good quality and consistency addressing the specific recommendation |
| B | Based on well conducted clinical studies, but no good quality randomized clinical trials on the topic of recommendation |
| C | Based on evidence obtained from expert committee reports or opinions and/or clinical experiences of respected authorities (i.e. no applicable studies of good quality) |
The grade of recommendation is, therefore, based on the level of available evidence and does not necessarily relate to the clinical importance. Reference: United States Department of Health and Human Services. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (1993). Acute pain management: operative on medical procedures and trauma. [107]. Rockville MD, AHCPR, 1993.